The invention relates generally to protective firearm carrying cases and more particularly to a dual utility firearm carrying case having a rigid outer housing and a removable flexible inner shell.
Conventional firearm carrying cases which are utilized to carry, transport or ship firearms and other items are generally constructed in two different forms. One has rigid housing which has the same structure and function as a conventional suitcase. The other has a soft-walled, deformable shell formed generally around an outline of the firearm. Each case is used for a separate specific purpose. The rigid case is ideal for shipping and long-term storage, while the deformable case is ideal for portable in-field transportation. As a result, a hunter is forced to incur the expense of owning both cases and having to choose one over the other for certain activities when neither may be individually suitable for the activity separately.
The rigid cases are generally formed from a metallic or plastic material having a base and lid connected by an elongated piano hinge. The interior is usually filled with a padding material conforming to the interior dimensions to provide cushioning and for securing the firearm against movement within the case. This style of case provides increased protection at the expense of size and portability. However, there are several other disadvantages. Rigid cases are heavy and non-deformable. As a result, these cases have limited utility, and are best suited for shipping by commercial carrier or long-term storage. These rigid cases are cumbersome to carry in the field, such as when a hunter must backpack or use an all-terrain vehicle (xe2x80x9cATVxe2x80x9d) through rough or wooded terrain. Further, it is known that the weak piano hinge is subject to damage when improperly handled during the loading, storage or unloading of the cases on either private or commercial carriers. The protective capability of this rigid case is compromised when the hinge is damaged.
Other rigid cases are so-called rear load gun cases that have also long been known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 290,208; 784,901 and 3,744,687. More recently, the rear load rigid cases have grown in popularity along with the popularity of ATVs. Brackets have been specifically designed to attach the rear-load cases to the ATV""s. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,706,990 and 6,021,936. The rigid rear-load cases have the interior surfaces lined with a synthetic fur-like material or other material suitable for cushioning purposes. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,744,687; Des. 421,179 and Des. 309,675.
The soft-walled cases are well known and commonly formed of a layered composite, for example, a fabric, canvas, leather or leather-like exterior material and a foam or woolen-type of interior. These cases are lightweight and flexible. It is known to configure a case to the general profile (side view) of the firearm. Accordingly, the soft-walled cases may be easily carried by a hunter in the field. The disadvantage of these soft-walled cases is that they do not provide adequate security and protection for the firearm during private or commercial shipping of the shell. Further, for obvious reasons, the soft-walled cases are not suitable for mounting by bracket top an ATV.
As a result of the prior art designs, a hunter may need to use both cases for an activity in the field. This is not only costly, but cumbersome and time consuming. Therefore, a need exists to provide a firearm case system having multiple capabilities.
One prior art dual utility firearm carrying case is described U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,495 issued to West. The case includes a rigid outer housing having a plurality of sidewalls to define an interior storage chamber. In the preferred embodiment, one of the ends of the housing is sealed. An opposite open end is selectively closable by a lid which is pivotally secured to one of the elongated sidewalls of the housing. The latching mechanism is provided for securing the lid in close relationship with respect to the housing. The case also includes an inner housing which is sized to fit snugly within the storage chamber of the rigid outer housing. The inner housing includes an outer cover having upper and lower portions which are integrally formed and selectively joined along their outer edges by a closure fastener which, in the preferred environment, is a waterproof zipper. Fitted within the upper and lower cover portions are a pair of oppositely-oriented article-conforming support elements, which are formed of a closed cell foam material which is lightweight and substantially rigid so that an article contained within formed pockets in each of the supports is supported and secured when stored within the inner housing.
One major disadvantage of the case of the ""495 patent is that the inner housing must be completely removed from the rigid housing in order to access the contents. In order to place a firearm or other item within the article-conforming supports formed in the closed cell foam material, the inner housing must be opened in a clamshell fashion. The recess formed in the article-conforming support member is accessible only when the inner case has been entirely removed from the rigid housing and opened to its fullest extent, such that the top and bottom portions of the flexible case are disposed substantially co-planar.
Another disadvantage of the case of the ""495 patent is that the inner housing is sized to fit snugly within the storage chamber of the outer rigid housing. This design makes insertion and removal of the inner housing difficult. During removal, the snug fit causes a vacuum to form between the inner housing and the rigid outer housing, tending to pull the inner housing back into the storage chamber. During insertion of the inner housing, the snug fit creates an air pocket which resists further insertion of the inner housing into the storage chamber. The snug-fitting feature is necessary to achieve the desired objective of supporting the firearm in the article-conforming recesses of the inner case, such that the firearm is immovable therein as taught in the ""495 patent. The inner case of the ""495 patent functions the same as its rigid housing save for the soft sides. As a result, the inner housing still retains all of the disadvantages of other prior art cases.
Yet another disadvantage of the ""495 patent, is that when the inner case is sized to fit snugly within the rigid housing, the inner case must have the same configuration as the rigid outer housing. As a result, the case is still bulky and difficult to transport in the field.
Accordingly, a need exists for our improved dual utility cases for carrying firearms which advantageously combines a rigid firearm case with a soft-walled case to provide a wide versatility of usage, namely, ability to remove the firearm from both the rigid case and soft-walled case without prior removal of the soft-walled case from the rigid case, and ability to remove the soft-walled case from the rigid case either with or without the firearm disposed within the soft-walled case.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, the dual utility firearm carrying case includes a rigid outer housing, a flexible inner shell and pockets defined between the flexible inner shell and the outer housing. The rigid outer housing includes a body and an end cap. The body includes a first contoured wall defining a first engagement portion, a first chamber, and a first open end. The first open end is defined by a free edge of the first contoured wall formed in a first plane. The end cap includes a second contoured wall defining a second engagement portion, a second chamber, and a second open end. The second open end is defined by a free edge of the second contoured wall formed in a second plane, such that when the body and the end cap are interconnected an interior cavity is defined. When the first and second engagement portions are connected a line of separation is cooperatively defined oblique to a longitudinal axis of the case such that the end cap may be easily disconnected from the body. The flexible inner shell includes a soft wall defining an opening and an interior cavity for receiving a firearm. The flexible inner shell is configured to be selectively, cooperatively and glidingly received within the first and second chamber. The firearm may be selectively disposed within the flexible inner shell when the flexible inner shell is disposed within the body and carried independently of the rigid outer housing and in cooperation therewith.
In another aspect of the present invention, the dual utility firearm carrying case includes a rigid outer housing and a flexible inner shell. The outer housing includes a body and an end cap. The body includes a first contoured wall defining a first chamber and a first open end. The end cap includes a second contoured wall defining a second chamber and a second open end. The body and the end cap are interconnected to define an interior cavity. The flexible inner case includes a soft wall defining an opening having a closure fastener and an interior cavity for receiving a firearm. The inner case is complementarily configured to be selectively, cooperatively and slidingly received within the cavity and disposed partially within the first chamber and partially within the second chamber, such that removal of the end cap exposes the closure fastener. The firearm may be inserted and removed from the inner case while the inner case is disposed within the rigid outer housing. The firearm may be carried by selective disposition within the flexible inner shell independently of the rigid housing and in cooperation therewith.
Prior firearm cases are bulky, cumbersome and/or unprotective. They are not suitable for common carrier transportation and use by a hunter in the field. For example, conventional firearm cases are suitable for securely transporting, but are bulky and problematic in the field. Further, prior dual utility cases are difficult to separate and reassemble, and remain cumbersome when separated. Consequently, there exists a need for an improved firearm carrying case.